Increasing awareness about essential tremor (ET) has been my passion for almost 20 years. But, I must confess … I was not very open about my tremors prior to this. In fact, I did everything imaginable to hide them, even from my parents!

My courage came from all the members of my support group. It is often said that when we volunteer, we get much more back than we give. Well, that was so true in my case when I decided to start a support group in Michigan in 2000. I marveled at the candor, courage, and self-pride in many of those members and, eventually, decided to follow their lead to become more open about my own ET.

Joining the IETF BoardWhen I was invited to join the IETF Board of Directors in 2001, I found another platform that I could use to further raise awareness, while also getting involved in education programs, fundraising, and research. I am committed to expanding the work of the IETF, the most recognized organization helping ET patients and families.

ET began challenging my life at 11 years old. I’ve heard it said that those of us with ET are much more intelligent and creative. Well, I’m not sure I would go so far as to say that … but I did become very creative in developing ways to cope with these troubling tremors! When the IETF compiled a list of coping tips, I was able to share all of mine with all of you.

The Choice to Have DBS SurgeryAfter having lived with increasingly challenging ET for almost 40 years, I decided to have deep-brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in 1999. DBS changed my life.

ET has, so far as I know, affected five generations in my family. I will continue to do everything in my power to help those of us with ET get more effective medical treatments, increase awareness so the public doesn’t misjudge and label us, better educate the medical community, and fund research that will discover a cure.

Join Us to Help Raise ET AwarenessI hope I can count on each of you to do something that helps the ET community. So many great ideas are listed on the IETF website. If all of us raise our voices about ET, we can educate the world.

Having essential tremor is like being a tree with leaves shaking uncontrollably in the wind. Even though your roots are strong, you are unable to control the movement of your branches.
However, being a child with essential tremor is like being a tiny sapling stuck in a powerful windstorm. You are not fully developed and your roots have not been completely planted.

ET Diagnosis
Since the age of four, I have battled with essential tremor. My shaky hands and legs made tasks such as eating, tying shoes, and riding bikes difficult to complete. I was just learning how to do these activities, which can be challenging without having a movement disorder. While these tasks were strenuous, the hardest part about being a child with essential tremor was other children and adults jumped to conclusions without understanding what essential tremor is.

“She’s just stubborn,” was often coldly stated to my parents as an explanation of why I was failing at making a perfect bow with my shoelaces. If I wasn’t being “stubborn” I must be either nervous or cold. Fine motor skills were frustrating to master and I became withdrawn from participating in physical activities. It was hard to understand why I couldn’t do what other children my age could do. With supportive parents, I was encouraged to never give up. The saying at my house is, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Soon I found an activity where shaking didn’t matter, swimming. It helped rebuild the confidence that this disorder had taken away. I found ways around difficult tasks, such as using assistive devices to improve my penmanship or supporting my elbow when applying makeup. It was clear that the physical and emotional effects of essential tremor were not going to dictate my future.

Connecting with the IETF
Then at sixteen, I discovered the International Essential Tremor Foundation, and wish I would have found them sooner. Their website provided informational downloads that I gave to my teachers and school administrators, so they could better understand this disorder. I connected with other kids my age who were going through the same experiences. IETF encouraged me to reach out to my community by organizing awareness walks and starting a support group. And they provided me with a college scholarship. With their support, I have met wonderful people who understand what having tremors is all about and I know I am not alone.

Now I’m nineteen and people still ask if I’m cold or nervous. But, I’ve learned that sharing my experience and educating others about essential tremor gives me an opportunity to explain that this condition is not just for older adults, but impacts young people as well. An estimated 10 million people in the United States are affected by this condition, yet very few have heard of it or understand it’s impact. Through awareness, I’m no longer a tiny sapling; I am strong oak supported by a dense forest away from the wind.

Editor’s Note Allison is one of thousands of children and young adults around the world who struggle to live normal lives with essential tremor. She is a former IETF Scholarship Recipient. The scholarship program is one of many support programs conducted by the IETF. Your donations help support these programs and people with essential tremor. Donate today.

Who do you picture in your mind when you think about someone who has essential tremor? Chances are, it’s a senior adult or a grandparent. The reality is essential tremor has no familiar face. It afflicts people all ages and races. While senior adults struggle with it, so do middle-aged adults, teens and even toddlers. It doesn’t discriminate based on the color of your hair, or eyes or skin.

This is our message during National Essential Tremor Awareness (NETA) Month in March. We want people to understand that ET has no boundaries. It doesn’t play favorites. It is a serious, debilitating condition for more than 10 million people around the world.

Background on NETA MonthThanks to a three-year effort by the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF), in 2010 Congress passed a House resolution that officially designates March as National Essential Tremor Awareness Month. This month gives ET a platform. Most people have heard of Parkinson’s disease and the physical tremors associated with it, but not many have heard of essential tremor. We need to let them know it exists and then educate them about the needs of people with ET.

The next time you are in a crowd, look around and chances are, someone there has ET. You won’t know it because it’s something that people work hard to hide. You won’t know it because people are embarrassed by it. You won’t know it because people fight it and deny it. You won’t know it because many people who have ET suffer depression and isolate themselves so they don’t even leave their houses.

Take ActionWhat can you do to take part in NETA Month? Many, many things!

The IETF has created some special NETA Month social media banners specifically for Facebook and Twitter. Download them from our website and use them on your social media sites during the month of March (as the cover art or just share them with your friends and followers).

Order one of our NETA Month posters and hang it in a prominent area where people will notice it: your church, the grocery store, the library, your office. When someone asks, “What’s this poster? What is essential tremor?” you will have done your job in raising awareness!

Watch this Tremor Talk blog site during March. We will be featuring some guest writers who have ET, work in the ET community and advocate for people with ET. Their first-hand stories promise to be insightful and educational – and heartfelt. Share these blogs on your social media sites, or send the links to your friends by email. RAISE AWARENESS!

Hold a Do It Yourself (DIY) Fundraiser to support the work the IETF does toward education, research and advocacy. We have a list of DIY fund raising ideas on our website, and we also have special DIY fund raising posters you can order from us for free to advertise your events.

Watch your mail for a letter from the IETF and make a donation to receive an NETA Month t-shirt and/or tote bag. These items are one more way to get ET in the public eye. Wear your shirt proudly and use your tote when shopping, or for carrying items to and from work. If you are not on our mailing list, you can join our mailing list online.

Once we all begin to see ET as a condition that impacts millions of people all over the world, we will begin to realize the need for more research that will lead to new treatments, and hopefully someday, a way to prevent or cure it for everyone.

As we kick off 2018, we are excited about the New Year and the opportunities to promote our mission to provide hope to the essential tremor (ET) community worldwide through awareness, education, support, and research.

The IETF is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018. We will kick off the celebration in March, which also happens to be National Essential Tremor Awareness month. There are a variety of ways for you to advocate for more ET awareness and education in your community. To learn more about how you can get involved here.

When we ask ET patients what they would like to see the IETF focus its efforts on, one subject comes up consistently: research to help find a dedicated treatment(s) for ET and, hopefully, someday a cure.

With the generous support of our donors,

we have been able to fund more than

$750,000 in ET research.

If you would like to learn more about the studies your donations have funded and the results they have achieved, you can find more information here.

Also, there are several clinical trials currently taking place that focus on ET-specific medications and wearable devices. If you are interested in participating in one of these trials check out the list of programs on the IETF website. You can also visit www.clinicaltrials.gov for easy access to free information on clinical studies for a wide range of conditions including ET.

Another great way to get involved is through a local support group. The IETF currently has more than 60 support groups around the world. We have a listing of all the supports groups on our website here. Or take part in our online support group through Facebook.

If you can’t find a support group in your area and Facebook isn’t your thing, we encourage you to consider starting a support group. We have all the tools to get you started and help you promote the meetings.

As always, we thank you for your support of the IETF and the ET community. The IETF has so many resources to share with patients, doctors, family members, and caregivers. We hope you will spread the word and help us continue to educate people on the most common movement disorder in the world.